Small: A big win for children with special needs

A big win for children with special needs

By Jonathan Small

Since its creation in 2010, the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities (LNH) program has provided a lifeline to families whose children have special needs and cannot receive appropriate educational services in their local district.

Under longstanding Oklahoma law, local school districts receive additional state funds for each child with special needs. But that doesn’t always mean the extra money is used effectively. In the worst instances, public schools have effectively pocketed the extra cash without providing real benefit to the child with special needs.

That’s why the LNH program allows parents to use state funds allocated for their child’s education to pay for private-school tuition. The scholarships range from $4,196 to $22,236, based on a child’s diagnosis.

Small: It’s not unusual for school programs to benefit all

It’s not unusual for school programs to benefit all

By Jonathan Small

In one important aspect, the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit program, which helps families send children to private school, operates just like the public school system: The program is open to all.

Opponents act as though this is a major flaw yet never say a peep about the much larger taxpayer benefit provided to the “rich” who use public schools.

State Sup't Walters announces creation of Office of School Choice at OSDE

Walters Announces Creation of Office of School Choice

Oklahoma City, Okla (March 28th) – At today’s Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced the creation of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) Office of School Choice. The new division will function as a one-stop shop for all things related to school choice and parental empowerment in Oklahoma.

Small: Two OK House bills are an attack on parents

An attack on parents

By Jonathan Small

Opponents of deference to parents often believe parents cannot be trusted to raise their own children.

The latest proof comes in two bills filed at the Oklahoma Legislature.

House Bill 4130, by state Rep. Amanda Swope, D-Tulsa, would require any homeschooling parents to notify the state Department of Human Services and undergo a background check. The bill would also impose registration and background-check requirements on parents who “change school districts, whether a result of a move or otherwise.”

Basically, Swope’s default assumption is that any parent who educates their child anywhere other than a local, geographically assigned school should be treated as a likely child predator.

This is complete nonsense. Research shows a child’s educational setting – whether homeschool, public school or private school – has no significant correlation with child abuse.

Attorney General Drummond takes over, dismisses Gov. Stitt's lawsuit against ClassWallet

I will be the first to admit that I'm skeptical of Attorney General Drummond on a lot of issues, but I think he's dead right on this one. 

Background from a 2023 post on this issue:

Back in 2020, Oklahoma officials hired ClassWallet to distribute $17.3M in a federal COVID-19 relief program, intending for these funds to be used for private school tuition and materials. This could be considered one of Gov. Stitt's and now-State Superintendent Ryan Walters' first "school choice" programs.

It ended in abject failure and scandal, with a lot of taxpayer money being misspent. After a lot of frankly pathetic passing-the-buck by several individuals, Walters among them, former Attorney General John O'Connor filed a lawsuit on behalf of the state against ClassWallet for mishandling the funds. I felt that was oddly misplaced at the time, as emails later showed that blanket approval was given by Walters and others in government.

Walters, in particular, who gave "blanket approval" to the spending, bears a lot of responsibility for the failure of the program - responsibility that to this day he continues to dodge and deflect (it's always someone else's fault, don't you know...). 

Gov. Stitt celebrates launch of OK Parental Choice Tax Credit

Gov. Stitt is celebrating  (after a brief 'optics' faux pas over whether he'd be applying for his kids) what appears to be a succesful launch of the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit program, with what appears to be enough applicants in the first 90 minutes to use up the entire first-year allocation of $150M. Under the current law, the credit will increase to $200M in 2025, and $250M in 2026. I expect that to change as it looks like this will be a popular program.

GOV. STITT CELEBRATES LAUNCH OF OK PARENTAL CHOICE TAX CREDIT

OKLAHOMA CITY (December 7, 2023) - Governor Kevin Stitt today celebrated the launch of the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit program and revealed the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) received over 30,000 submissions within the first 90 minutes of launch. OTC, alongside its operational partner Merit, began accepting applications on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. CST. To date, approximately 140 accredited schools have been registered to participate.

Small: Private school critics ignore reality

Private school critics ignore reality

By Jonathan Small

School-choice opponents have tried, and failed, to convince parents to oppose policies that grant greater educational opportunity to their children.

So now school-choice opponents have a new tactic: They’re urging Oklahomans to ignore reality.

Under the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act, all families in Oklahoma are now eligible for refundable tax credits of $5,000 to $7,500 per child to pay for private-school tuition. The lower a family’s income, the larger the tax credit. The program takes effect in January.

AFP comments on OK Tax Commission's proposed rules for Parent Choice Tax Credit Act

With the passage of HB 1934 and signing by Gov. Stitt, landmark 'school choice' legislation is now law in Oklahoma, providing tax credits of $5,000-$7,500 for private school students (depending on household income) and $1,000 tax credits for homeschool students (with a cap of $5,000,000, or 5,000 students for now, though estimates put the Oklahoma homeschool student population from a low of 25,000 to 120,000 on the high end). 

A relatively little-known aspect of law and government is that state and federal agencies must develop and publish rules to put most legislation into effect. Typically, there is a public comment period for citizens to have some input on the impact of proposed rules before the rules are finalized (and in some cases sent to the legislative branch for approval).

John Tidwell, State Director for Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma (which advocated very heavily for the bill), submitted the following letter during public comment on the proposed rules put forth by the Oklahoma Tax Commission:

State Auditor Byrd after finding $30M in questionable spending: "State of Oklahoma dropped the ball on compliance and oversight"

Ouch. This audit is pretty bad. State Auditor Cindy Byrd has released an audit of federally-funded grants (mainly COVID relief/stimulus money), finding about $30,000,000 in "questioned costs". This audit is federally-mandated, and could end up with the State of Oklahoma having to repay the misspent funds.

It pretty much comes down to an atmosphere of lackadaisical oversight, careless implementation, and seemingly outright intentions to flout spending rules. A proto-school choice program pushed by Gov. Stitt and then-Secretary of Education (now State Superintendent) Ryan Walters draws specific attention in the scathing report.

Here are some additional news articles to read on the audit:

• ‘Systemic issue’: Audit finds Oklahoma lacked oversight of pandemic relief funds [NonDoc]
• Audit finds special interest groups gave Oklahoma private schools first-dibs on federal relief money while rejecting poor kids [The Frontier]
• Auditor: Oklahoma Spent Millions of Federal Dollars Incorrectly [OklahomaWatch]

Byrd's press release is below:

STATE AUDITOR BYRD RELEASES FEDERAL SINGLE AUDIT

“The State of Oklahoma dropped the ball on compliance and oversight.”

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (June 27, 2023) Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector (SAI) Cindy Byrd released today the Federal Single Audit of expenditures made during SFY 2021 which includes pandemic funds. This annual audit is a federally-mandated examination of how the State of Oklahoma spends federal grant money and whether the State complied with federal regulations.

Legislature sends major multi-bill education package to Governor

This is a few days old (sorry, been swamped with work), but some significant education news worth recording:

Legislature Sends Historic Education Package to Governor

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 19th) – The Legislature today gave final passage to a set of bills directing a historic investment into public education. 

AFP-OK celebrates historic education tax credit

Oklahoma Celebrates Historic Education Tax Credit

Oklahoma City, OK (May 19th) – Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma released the following statement following the final passage and procedural motions which sends HB 1934, Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act to Governor Kevin Stitt. 

AFP State Director John Tidwell commented:

“Simply put, kids win. This truly historic education tax credit will change the lives of generations of Oklahoma kids. Families finally have real choice in the school that best meets their needs. 

Small: Talking points against school choice don't hold up

Talking points don’t hold up

By Jonathan Small

In education, two talking points are constantly touted by status-quo defenders. First, if we spend more money on the state-run public-school system, our negative education outcomes will make a turnaround. Second, most families don’t need other choices because they are already “choosing” their local public school.

Neither talking point holds up—as two status-quo defenders recently acknowledged (even if unintentionally).

Reactions roll in over Gov. Stitt's school choice compromise proposal

Governor Kevin Stitt's proposal to break the legislative impasse over school choice legislation is being met with a wide range of reactions.

Read below for statements from:

• House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka (cautiously positive)
• Oklahoma Farm Bureau (positive)
• House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-OKC (negative)
• Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Edmond (somewhat negative)

SoonerPolitics compiles map of accredited and non-accredited private schools to illustrate school choice options

David Van Risseghem over at SoonerPolitics.org has put together some helpful maps and information that puts some perspective and context to the school choice debate raging in the state capitol right now. 

Parent's Guide to Private Schools: The Current Private Schools

(4/20/2023) With the Oklahoma legislature preparing the final text of a school choice funding formula, SoonerPolitics undertook the task of compiling a couple of interactive maps, indicating the established private schools across the state. Some of these institutions are accredited by the Oklahoma Private School Accreditation Commission (OPSAC), but several dozens are decidedly not accredited, even though some are over 125 years old.

Gov. Stitt calls for compromise, proposes plan to break education reform stalemate

Can Governor Stitt find a middle ground for House Speaker McCall and Senate Pro Tem Treat to come to? He's giving it his best shot. We'll see how it goes.

GOVERNOR STITT CALLS FOR COMPROMISE, PROPOSES THE OKLAHOMA EDUCATION AND PARENTAL CHOICE PLAN

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 21, 2023) - Governor Kevin Stitt today unveiled his proposed education reform compromise, the Oklahoma Education and Parental Choice Plan, after weeks of meetings with House and Senate leadership, Speaker Charles McCall, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, and members of both chambers.

Small: Means-testing education?

Means-testing education?

By Jonathan Small

Here’s a quick thought experiment. There are two proposals to fund K-12 education. With one, families would get up to $7,500 for a child’s education. In another, families would receive nearly $13,000 per child in educational services. Some lawmakers want an “income cap” on one of these programs, to limit which families can use it. Can you pick which one?

It’s not the $13,000 one—nobody is suggesting a limit there. The income cap would apply only to the $7,500 option.

Small on school choice: Not afraid to thrive

Rev. Wade Moore at recent school choice rally

Not afraid to thrive

By Jonathan Small

Most parents want their children to not only survive but thrive. Sadly, among some school-choice opponents, that is apparently viewed as a controversial statement.

Oklahomans from across the state recently rallied at the state Capitol, urging lawmakers to pass a robust school-choice tax credit that will allow them to use their tax dollars for the education setting that best serves each individual child, including private school and homeschooling.

But one lawmaker dismissed many of them—based, it appears, on skin color.

State Senate approves $700M education package

I'm posting this somewhat delayed due to having been swamped with work, but this was the biggest thing to come out of the legislature last week:

Senate Approves Historic Education Funding Package

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 30th) - The Oklahoma State Senate today gave passage to its historic $700 million education package. 

Senators voted overwhelmingly on both measures 40 – to – 7 on House Bill 1935 and 46 – to – 2 on House Bill 2775, approving the single largest appropriations increase to education in state history, sending it back to the House of Representatives. 

Small: Oklahoma must compete in education

Oklahoma must compete in education

By Jonathan Small

In the competition between states, there is no sitting still. Oklahoma could become a national leader in school choice this year.

The Oklahoma House of Representatives has approved House Bill 1935, which would provide all Oklahoma families a tax credit of $5,000 per student for private school or $2,500 for homeschooling.

That proposal would make Oklahoma one of the nation’s most attractive places to raise a child. But other states are not sitting still as Oklahoma policymakers conduct this debate.

Small: Education tax credit debate marred by lousy logic

Tax credit debate marred by lousy logic

By Jonathan Small

The state House of Representatives recently advanced a tax credit of $5,000 per child for private-school tuition. That has generated healthy debate on increasing educational opportunity in Oklahoma, although not all arguments put forth are valid.

One particularly egregious argument aired by opponents is that the education tax credit is somehow a wasteful giveaway. Ironically, some entities that tout the importance of “investing in education” now object to a tax credit that would … well, invest in education.